A Bon dance in Ueyanagi, Yatsushiro, passed down through song and circles
Ueyanagi Bon Odori
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- On the night of August 14 every year / Every year
- Location
- The schoolyard and grounds of Ueyanagi Elementary School, among other locations
- Area
- Kumamoto Prefecture・Yatsushiro City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 min · flight time only)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This is passed down in the Ueyanagi area of Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Dancers perform in distinctive costumes to the rhythm of a 7-7-syllable narrative song and the “Yoiyasa” refrain.
About Ueyanagi Bon Odori
Ueyanagi Bon Odori is a Bon dance passed down in the Ueyanagi area of Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
It is performed on the night of August 14 every year, in the schoolyard of Ueyanagi Elementary School and in the tatami rooms or gardens of homes observing their first .
A traditional local performing art in which people dance in a circle around the singer to a narrative song in a 7-7-syllable meter, without instruments.
The custom of performing the dance to pray for the deceased at homes observing their first Obon has also been passed down.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
A distinctive feature is that the dancing begins without instruments, accompanied only by the singer’s song and the call-and-response refrain, “Yoiyasa, yoiyasa.”
The men’s dance features vigorous movements, with dancers bending their waists and kicking their feet up. The women’s dance is characterized by gentle footwork, offering a chance to appreciate the distinct expressions of each.
Distinctive costumes may include white clothing with a black sash, together with a straw hat or black mask. The dance is also known by the alternative name “Mōja Odori” (Dance of the Dead).
Source: 植柳盆踊り | くまもと伝承芸能情報サイト
A Bon dance in Ueyanagi, Yatsushiro, passed down through song and circles
What to expect
A is set up in the elementary schoolyard. The singer performs from atop it, while the dancers form a circle around it and dance clockwise.
Singers take turns, and each continues the song by picking up the last phrase sung by the previous singer.
After the dance, members of the preservation association visit homes observing their first Obon that have invited them, and perform in their tatami rooms or gardens as well.
The names of the recently deceased are displayed on the yagura.
Location and access
- Venue and address
It takes place in the schoolyard and grounds of Ueyanagi Elementary School, among other locations.
It may also be performed in the tatami rooms or gardens of homes observing their first Obon.
Event venue 熊本県八代市 植柳小学校の校庭
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
It is held on the evening of August 14 every year.
After dancing in the elementary school grounds, members of the preservation society are invited to homes observing their first Obon after a death in the family, where they dance in the tatami rooms and gardens as well.
Please check local announcements for the 2026 event status.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Kumamoto Prefecture / Yatsushiro City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
八代宮
熊本県八代市にある神社
八代市立博物館・未来の森ミュージアム
熊本県八代市にある博物館
松浜軒
熊本県八代市にある、熊本藩家老松井家の邸宅と庭園
Origins and History of Ueyanagi Bon Odori
Ueyanagi Bon Odori is said to have begun around the beginning of the Edo period.
In the past, residents of Ueyanagi Kamimachi, Ueyanagi Shimomachi, and Ueyanagi Motomachi performed the dance. It declined after the war, but since the preservation association was established in Showa 31, the association has played a central role in passing it on.
Before the war, the dance was performed every night for about a week starting on day 14 of lunar month 7. The period gradually shortened, and today it is passed down over a single night on August 14.
Official information
The Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties introduces Ueyanagi Bon Odori as an “intangible folk cultural property for which measures such as documentation should be undertaken.”
Kumamoto Prefecture’s traditional performing arts information website lists the Ueyanagi Bon Odori Preservation Association as the group preserving the dance and the Ueyanagi school district as its area of transmission.
Please check information from Yatsushiro City, the preservation association, and other local sources for the schedule and on-site guidance.
Ueyanagi Bon Odori at a Glance
Ueyanagi Bon Odori is a traditional Bon dance passed down in the Ueyanagi area of Yatsushiro City, performed without instruments.
Highlights include the narrative song and the “Yoiyasa” refrain, different movements for men and women, and distinctive white clothing and black masks.
It is performed in the schoolyard of Ueyanagi Elementary School on the night of August 14 every year. The tradition of performing it to pray for the deceased at homes observing their first Obon has also been preserved.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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